Butter Pecan Cupcakes With Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting Recipe 415 Food

BUTTER PECAN CUPCAKES WITH SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING RECIPE - (4.1/5)

Steps:

• HOMEMADE SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE: Heat sugar over medium-high heat in 1 to 1 1/2 quart heavy saucepan or saute pan. When sugar starts to melt, start whisking the sugar. It will clump up, but keep whisking. It will continue to melt. When the sugar is melted, stop whisking and instead swirl the pan to move the sugar around. Continue cooking sugar until it is completely melted and reaches a deep amber color. Carefully whisk in the butter, whisking till melted. The caramel may clump at the sides. Remove pan from heat and carefully pour in the heavy cream. Whisk until cream is incorporated and caramel is smooth. Whisk in salt. Let sauce cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then pour into a pint mason jar and cool to room temperature. Yield: about 1 1/2 cups CUPCAKES: Heat oven to 350°F Cut 1 tablespoon. butter into small pieces; add to pecans in oven-proof dish. Bake, stirring after butter melts, 5 to 7 minutes, or till pecans are nicely toasted and butter is absorbed. Cool. Line muffin tin with 12 paper liners. Whisk flour; lightly spoon and level to measure, then sift twice into medium bowl with baking powder and soda. In bowl of stand mixer, combine sugar, salt and 1 stick butter. Beat at medium speed 5 minutes, till light and fluffy, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, adding vanilla with last egg and beating till yellow disappears after each addition. Using lowest speed of mixer, add flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour and adding nuts with last addition of flour. Stir batter with spatula, briefly, to be sure everything is mixed well. Fill muffin cups with about 1/4 cup batter. Bake 15-17 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. Cool on wire rack completely before frosting. SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING: In medium bowl, beat butter till light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl; gradually add sugar and beat till smooth and creamy. Add salted caramel sauce and cream on low speed until incorporated. Increase speed gradually to high and beat till frosting is light and smooth, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate frosting at least 1/2 hour, or longer. (Can be made the day before.) If desired, garnish frosted cupcakes with additional toasted chopped pecans. Refrigerate leftovers and allow to sit at room temperature one hour before serving.

SALTED CARAMEL CUPCAKES WITH PECAN COCONUT BRITTLE CRUMBLE AND CARAMEL SWISS BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two standard muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners.
• For the salted caramel: Combine the sugar, 1/3 cup water and the corn syrup in a small saucepan. Stir with a wooden spoon and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, swirling the pot occasionally, until the mixture is a beautiful amber color (watch closely). Once the desired color is reached, immediately add the butter and stir with a wooden spoon until completely incorporated. Remove from the heat. Add the heavy cream and stir to incorporate. Stir in the coarse salt. Pour 1/2 cup of the salted caramel into a small bowl or measuring cup, and the remainder into another bowl. Cool completely, stirring occasionally. (You can speed up the cooling by putting the caramel into the refrigerator, but it must be pourable when you are ready to assemble the cupcakes.)
• For the brittle: Butter a small baking sheet and set aside. In a small but deep saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a full boil over high heat, and boil until a candy thermometer reaches 280 degrees F. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the baking soda, and then the pecans. Pour onto the prepared pan and spread with a rubber spatula. Top with the coconut. Allow to cool. Break the brittle into pieces of desired size.
• For the cupcakes: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and kosher salt and set aside. Combine the milk and vanilla and set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Once incorporated, add the eggs, one at a time, at low speed. Be sure to incorporate after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Do not over beat. Once incorporated, add the flour mixture and the milk mixture. Alternate with three parts flour and two parts milk, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary (we don't want any butter chunks stuck to the bottom). Using a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner with batter.
• Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pans to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, and then transfer the cupcakes to the racks to cool completely before filling and frosting.
• While the cupcakes are baking, make the buttercream: Combine the sugar and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl over simmering water and whisk continuously until the sugar is melted. Remove from the heat, place under the mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk at medium-high speed until soft peaks form and it cools to room temperature. Add the butter and beat until incorporated. With the mixer running, slowly beat in the 1/2 cup reserved salted caramel until the mixture is homogenous. Set aside at cool room temperature until you are ready to frost the cupcakes.
• To assemble: Use a small serrated knife, core each cupcake about 1 1/4 inches wide at the top and halfway into the cake. (Discard the cores-or nibble while you work.) Fill each with about 1 tablespoon of the remaining salted caramel. Sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt. Frost each cupcake with a generous amount of caramel Swiss buttercream and garnish with crumbled pecan coconut brittle. Eat.

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, melt butter and add brown sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil and stir for 1 minute until thickened. Remove from heat and add milk. Beat with wire whisk until smooth. Add vanilla and beat again. Then add enough powdered sugar until of desired spreading consistency; the frosting should be POURABLE. POUR frosting over cake from pan and spread to cover. Frosting cools VERY QUICKLY.
• -- also a great frosting for cookies
• Refrigerate after frosting for best texture.

SALTED CARAMEL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole cake tin with paper cases.
• Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract. Briefly mix in the flour until just combined, and stir in the milk until the batter just falls off the beaters.
• Divide the mixture between the cases, leaving about 2 tbsp batter in the bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce if it's not salted caramel, then add ½ tsp to the tops of each cupcake. Use a teaspoon to cover the caramel sauce with the remaining batter. Bake for 15-20 mins until springy and golden. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter and half of the icing sugar together, then tip in the remaining icing sugar and whisk vigorously until pale and fluffy. Stir in half of the caramel sauce, then spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a round or star nozzle.
• Pipe swirls of icing on top of the cooled cupcakes. Stir the remaining caramel sauce with a pinch of salt, if unsalted, then use to drizzle over the icing. Sprinkle over a small pinch of sea salt over each, if you like.

PECAN PRALINE BUTTER CREAM ICING

Steps:

• -Pecan Pralines-.
• Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan.
• Add sugar to the saucepan and stir frequently (do NOT use a plastic spoon, use a wire whisk). Stir until completely melted and resembles an amber color.
• Add in pecans and continue to stir mixture until the sugar is hot and bubbly (do NOT use a whisk for this part, use a metal spoon).
• On parchment paper, spread out the pecan mixture and let cool completely.
• Break pecans into pieces and place into a food processor. Process until it resembles brown sugar (slightly moist, but not pasty).
• -Butter Cream Icing-.
• Add a dash of salt to the egg whites and beat for 30 seconds.
• Place the whites over a double broiler and add sugar 1/2 cup at a time.
• Gently whip the mixture with a whisk until the egg whites no longer feel grainy when rubbed between your fingertips.
• Whip mixture on medium high until bowl is cool to the touch.
• Cut up the cold, but not hard, butter, and slowly add it to the meringue.
• Mix butter into meringue on medium-high with cake mixer. Keep mixing until you hear a "slapping" sound. This is when the butter cream is ready.
• Add vanilla.

SPICED APPLE CUPCAKES WITH SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin pans with cupcake liners.
• In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
• In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. Then whisk in oil, milk and vanilla.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and beat at medium speed until combined.
• Fold in chopped apples.
• Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
• Bake for 18-19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or cakes bounce back when pressed lightly.
• Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, prepare your caramel buttercream.
• In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. With a wooden spoon, stir in brown sugar and continue to stir until dissolved. Then stir in heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Once mixture reaches a slow, rolling boil, cook for 5-7 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken to a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Once cooled to a manageable temperature, transfer to a mixing bowl.
• With an electric mixer, gradually beat in confectioner's sugar until mixture is smooth and velvety. If necessary, use a little more or less to reach the desired consistency.
• Frost cupcakes using your desired method. I prefer to pipe it in a thick swirl, using a wide round tip or spreading with a flat spatula.

ALMOND CUPCAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 12 cupcake cups with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
• In a mixing bowl, thoroughly cream together the sugar and 1/2 cup of margarine until very well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined, and stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Gradually beat in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, in several additions. Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake cups, filling them about 2/3 full.
• Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
• To make caramel, Place the brown sugar, 1/2 cup margarine, corn syrup, and vanilla into a large saucepan over medium heat, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes; remove from heat and allow to cool to warm (not hot) temperature. Add the cream, a little at a time, until the caramel has the consistency of honey. Mix in the pinch of salt, and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Beat the salted butter with confectioners' sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy; slowly add and beat in the caramel, a tablespoon at a time, beating until the frosting is smooth.

CARAMEL-PECAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F degrees.
• Grease 12-cup muffin pan or line with baking cups.
• Place 1 cup of the pecans and 1/4 cup of the sugar in food processor.
• Pulse until finely ground and fluffy, being careful not to make paste.
• In large bowl, beat remaining 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter at medium speed 5 to 6 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1 cup ground pecans.
• At low speed, beat sour cream into sugar mixture alternately with flour mixture.
• Spoon into muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool on wire rack 10 minutes.
• Remove from pan; cool completely.
• To make frosting, in large bowl beat egg yolks at medium-high speed 5 minutes or until light, fuffy and pale colored.
• Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine 6 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon of the water.
• Cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, 4 to 6 minutes or until sugar turns golden amber color.
• Remove from heat; carefully add remaining 3 tablespoons water.
• Return to heat; cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.
• Slowly add sugar mixture to beaten egg yolks, beating at medium-high speed 5 minutes or until mixture has cooled.
• Add 1/2 cup butter a few pieces at a time; add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
• Beat until smooth.
• Spread each cupcake with thick layer of frosting.
• Very finely chop remaining 1/4 cup pecans; roll edges of cupcakes in nuts.
• TIP: To toast pecans, spread on baking sheet; bake at 375°F.
• for 7 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown.